URI Physics Colloquium

Basic Concepts in Quantum Information

Steven M. Girvin

Department of Physics, Yale University

Abstract

A ‘second quantum revolution’ is underway based on our new understanding of how information can be stored and manipulated using quantum hardware.  This talk will give a simple introduction to the basic concepts of quantum information that underlie this revolution.

Even more remarkable than the concept of quantum computation is the concept of quantum error correction.   We know that measurement disturbs a quantum state.  Nevertheless it is possible to store an unknown quantum state and if it develops errors due to imperfect hardware, we can measure and correct such errors to recover the original quantum information.